Die for making sheet-metal spoke-arms for pulleys.



Patented Jan. 23, I900. CURSCADEN, Decd.

DIE FOR MAKING SHE POKE ARMS FOB PULLEYS.

(No Model.)

uncut.

STATES PATENT tries.

ADELINE J. GORSOADEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ADMINIS- TRATRIX OFTHOMAS CORSOADEN, DECEASED.

DIE FOR MAMBNG SHEET-METAL SPOKE-ARMS FOR PULLEYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,036, dated January23, 1900. Application filed October 20,1898. Serial No. 694,099. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that THOMAS OORSGADEN, deceased, formerly of the city andcounty of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, did invent anImprovement in Dies for Making Sheet-Metal Spoke-Arms for Pulleys, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to dies for the manufacture of sheet-metalspoke-arms for pulleys; and it consists of certain improvements whichare fully set forth in the following specification and shown in theaccompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

In making sheet-1netal pulleys the same are so constructed that thespoke-arms are formed integral with each other and With a semicircularcentral hub portion, which latter is clamped to the shaft or otherwiseformed into the hub adapted for support upon a shaft. The presentimprovements comprehend certain dies for making the said spoke-arms andsemicircularhub portions, whereby they may be formed from a flat sheetof metal suitably blanked out and bent, so as to cause the spoke-arms tolie in radial lines from the semicircular l1 ub portion from which theyproject, and, furthermore, to lie in planes at substantially rightangles, or nearly so, to the axis of curvature of said hub portion. Inthe formation of such spoke-blanks a sheet of steel is first subjectedto the action of dies which shall split or cut it to form two or moreparallel tongues or arms extending from a transverse portion at one end,which remains The last-mentioned portion is then bent at substantiallyright angles to the plane of the tongues and is then subjected to theaction of improved dies which curve the said uncut portion into aseinicylindrical shape and simultaneously therewith cause the saidtongues to spread apart at their free ends, so as to lie in radial linesfrom the said curved or hub portion, in which position the said tonguesform the spoke in the subsequently-finished wheel. In the method offorming the spokeblank it will be observed that the spokes and hubportion are retained as an integral structure, thereby securing thegreatest strength and simplicityin the building up of the wheel, and atthe same time the formation of the curvature in the hub portionabsolutely and accurately locates the radial position of the spoke-armsrelatively thereto, a feature of the utmost importance in the subsequentfinishing and assembling of the wheel structure.

The particular apparatus more especially under consideration in thisapplication in connection with the above method of forming thespoke-blanks and embodying this invention is the die mechanism forsimultaneously curving the hub portion and causing the spokes to assumeradial position relatively thereto, and these die structures consist,essentially, of a curved or recessed die having a guiding-surface overwhich the tongues or arms rest, combined with a second die having acurvature adapted to the curvature of the recess of the first-mentioneddie, and, further, having a flanged portion adapted to fit down over theportions of the spoke-arms adjacent to the hub portion, so that Whilethey are spreading into radial position they are held between the twodies in the proper annular location, and the subsequent pressure of thedies causes the metal to set and the final position of the spoke-armsrelatively to the hub portion to be definitely determined.

The improvements will be better understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation ofsuitable dies for shaping the sheet-metal spoke-blanks, showing part ofthe lower die in section. Fig. 2 is a diagonal section of the same online 0c 00. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank to be operated upon. Fig.4 is a similar view of the blank with one edge bent downward. Fig. 5 isa cross-section on line 1 3 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectionillustrating the manner of bending the blank shownin Fig. 3into theshape shown in Figs. 4: and 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank afterleaving the dies, Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 8 is a cross-section on line ww of Fig. 7.

Reference Will first be made to the sheetmetal blank and the operationsthrough which it is put to bring it to the condition to be acted upon bythe dies shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and then to the nature and constructionof said dies.

A sheet-metal blank is first divided by one or more longitudinal slitsor cuts for a portion of its length, so as to form a series of tonguesM, united to an uncut transverse portion N, as indicated in Fig. 3.Subsequently the partN is to form the semicircular hub portion, whilethe parts M constitute the radial spokes. The sheet of metal shown inFig. 3 may then be placed between jaws J K, Fig. 6, and while thetongues M are clamped the portion N may be bent downward by a descendingdie L. The blank will then be. in the shape shown in Figs. 4 and 5; inwhich the parts M and N will be arranged at substantially right angles.The parts M will be of any length desired to suit the length of spokenecessary for a given diameter of pulley. The blank, in the form lastdescribed, is next placed between the dies G B and subjected topressure, which performs the function of curving the part N into thesemicircular shape N, (shown in Figs. 7 and 8,) so as to constitute aportion of the hub of the wheel. At the same time this operation takesplace the parallel tongues or arms M are caused to shift their positionsrelatively one to the other and arrange themselves in radial lines fromthe center of curvature of the hub portion N. It will now be seen thatthe spoke-arms have been brought into proper relative position forriveting to the rim of the wheel and yet without direct manipulationupon the said arms. sheet-metal pulleys of this character that the armsM should be slightly oblique to the axis of the hub, and this obliquityis indicated in Figs. 1 and 8, and this is secured by the action of thedies B G, as will be hereinafter explained.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the frame A is recessed in its upperportion and fitted with a steel die B, clamped in position by the twoclamps D D. The die'B is formed witha semicylindrical recess ordepression B, arranged obliquely.

O is a backing-piece arranged between the lower end of the die B and thebody of the frame A. This backing or lining strip takes up the downwardoblique thrust of the die B and may also be employed to level up thelower edge 11 of the blank by upsetting it, as is well known in the artof working metal. Where the width of the hub portion N is to be greater,a wider die B is inserted and a thinner lining-strip C substituted. Inthis manner the same die-holding frames may be employed for numerousmodifications in the size of the blank. It is evident that, if sodesired, the lining-plate C may be dispensed with or formed integrallywith the frameA. The die B is set on an angle with the direction ofmovement of the upper die, so that there is a combined pressure exertedupon the internal face B of the die B, as well as upon the outer obliqueface b thereof. The downward thrust of the upper die also tends to crowdthe lower edge 01 of the blank down upon the lining-plate O,an actionwhich would It is also advisable in' not result if the pressure exertedby the up per die were at right angles to the curved face of the die B.

F is the upper movable frame and is movable to and from the lower frameA. This frame is notched and receives the upper die G, which is shapedto correspond to the working face of the lower die B, while allowing forthe thickness of metal of the blank to be treated. The die G issemicircular, as shown, and is provided at its upper end with aflange1-1, which extends laterally over the outer and upper face I) of the dieB. Interposed between the upper portion of the semicircular die G andthe frame F and arranged at substantially right angles to the flange His a steel lining-strip Lwhich directly receives the thrust of the die Gand at the same time may be replaced to permit of a larger or smallerdie G being employed, to suit variations in the size of the hub. The dieG and lining-strip I are held in place on the frame F by a bolt f. Theadjacent faces I) h between the die B andthe flange H are oblique to theaxis of the curvature of the dies B and G, as clearly shown in Fig. 1,so that not only do said faces act upon the spoke-arms M to set them,but they also cause said spoke-arms to be bent at an angle relative tothe semicircular portion N, so that they are made to lie in aslightlyoblique position relative to the axis of curvature of said hubportion. \Vhile this is most desirable, it is not essential, however.The obliquity of the surfaces 1) immediately in line with the center ofeach of the spoke-arms extends down to the inner curved face B of thedie B,as shown in Fig. 2; but the intermediate part of said facecorresponding to the juncture of the spoke-arms is curved or rounded atthe juncture of said face I) and inner curved surface B, asindicated atE, so as not to put too great a strain upon the metal of the blank atthese places. It will be observed that when the diesapproach each other,as indicated in Fig. 1, the corner formed between the flange H and thedie portion'G of the upper die crowds the metal down upon the roundedcorners E and sets the radial arms positively at these points, so thattheir relative positions to each other and to the semicircular portionsbecome absolutely fixed.

The curved surface of the die B is formed with equal radii throughoutits entire length, and the conical surface I) is so formed as to meetthe upper edge of said curved surface in a plane lying at right anglesto the length of the curved surface B. It will also be observed that thecurved edges or portions E are at intervals in the juncture of the partsB and b and correspond to the spoke-arms when formed by the action ofthe dies.

While the construction of the dies herein shown is preferred, theinvention is not limited to the minor details thereof, as they may bemodified without departing from the prin ciples of the invention.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of two frames relatively movable to or from eachother, a die secured to one of said frames and formed with anobliquely-arranged semicircular recess having its curvature formed withequal radii throughout its length, and a semicircular oblique dieadapted to the recessed portion of the firstmentioned die and secured tothe other movable frame and movable in a direction oblique to the axisof the semicircular recess of the other die.

2. The combination of two frames relatively movable to or from eachother, a die secured to one of said frames and formed with anobliquely-arranged semicircular recess having its curvature form ed withequal radii throughout its length and its lower edge formed at rightangles to its curved surface, a liningplate also carried by said frameand interposed between it and the lower edge of the die thereon andhaving its upper working surface lyingin a plane at right angles to thecurved surface of the semicircular recess of the die, and a semicirculardie having its curvature formed by equal radii throughout its lengthadapted to the recessed portion of the first-mentioned die and securedto the other movable frame and movable in a direction oblique to theaxis of the semicircular recess of the other die.

3. The combination of two frames relatively movable to or from eachother, a die secured to one of said frames and formed with anobliquely-arranged semicircular recess having all portions made withequal radii and in which the upper and outer surface of said die is madeconical and meets the upper curved edge of the recessed portion in aplane at right angles to the length of the curved surface of therecessed portion, and a semicircular die adapted to the recessed portionof the firstmentioned die and secured to the other movable frame andfurther provided with an upper flanged portion having a conical workingface adapted to cooperate with the conical upper surface of thefirst-mentioned die and movable in a direction oblique to the axis ofthe semicircular recess of the other die.

at. The combination of two frames relatively movable to and from eachother, a die secured to one of said frames and formed with anobliquely-arranged semicircular recess having its curvature formed withequal radii through out its length and also having an upperflanging-surface the juncture of which with the upper edge of the curvedrecessed portion lies in a plane at right angles to the length of thecurved surface, a lining-plate O or base portion having its upper edgefitting to the bot tom of the recessed die and arranged in a plane atright angles to the length of the surface of the recessed portion ofsaid die, and a semicircular oblique die adapted to the re cessedportion of the said first-mentioned die and having a flange at the topand in which the length of the semicircular part is greater than thelength of the recessed die, whereby when the bottom of the semicirculardie rests upon the lining-plate O the flanging portions of the two diesdo not touch and movable in a direction oblique to the axis of thesemicircular recess of the other die.

5. The combination of the frame A, with the oblique die B having asemicircular recessed surface B and an outer and upper surface arrangedat an angle to said recessed surface, a lining-plate 0 arrangedobliquely in the frame A and upon which the lower edge of the obliquedie B rests, an upper frame F and a semicircular die G arrangedobliquely thereon provided with a flanged upper portion to operate inconjunction with the upper surface of the die B and further movable in adirection oblique to the axis of the semicircular recessed surface B.

6. The combination with the frame A, with the oblique die B having asemicircular recessed surface B and an outer and upper surface arrangedat an angle to said recessed surface and which outer and uppersurface ofthe die B is provided with the curved edges E E arranged at intervalsabout the curvature of the recessed portion as shown, an upper frame Fand a semicircular die Garranged obliquely thereon provided with aflanged upper portion to operate in connection with the upper surface ofthe die B.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

ADELINE J. CORSOADEN, Aclmim'stratrir of the estate of Thomas Corscaden,deceased. i

W'itnesses:

Juan. J. CROWLEY, S. WARREN HALL.

